Sharing skins

Abstract

A system and method for sharing skins between a first user and a second user on a computerized network. A first skin selected by the first user is transferred to and displayed to the second user. The transfer and/or the display is performed automatically. A second skin selected by the second user is transferred to and displayed to the first user. In one embodiment, the first and second skins are alternately displayed (e.g. periodically in time) to the first and second users. Users can have one or more skins, including a default skin, associated with each of them. Options are available to allow a user to authorize skin sharing with other users, to specify which skins can be shared, to control the amount of time between alternating skin displays, and the number of times the skins are alternately displayed.

1 . A method for sharing skins between a first user and a second user via a computer network, the method comprising:
 transferring a first skin associated with the first user to the second user; and   displaying the first skin to the second user;
 wherein at least one of (said transferring and said displaying) is performed automatically. 
   
   
   
       2 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 acquiring an identity of the first skin.   
   
   
       3 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a second workstation associated with the second user transfers the first skin and displays the first skin to the second user. 
   
   
       4 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a first workstation associated with the first user transfers the first skin to a second workstation associated with the second user, and the second workstation displays the first skin to the second user. 
   
   
       5 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a method for transferring the first skin.   
   
   
       6 . The method, as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein determining a method for transferring the first skin comprises:
 determining whether the first skin is currently stored in a second workstation associated with the second user.   
   
   
       7 . The method, as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein determining a method for transferring the first skin comprises:
 determining whether the second workstation can transfer the first skin directly from a first workstation associated with the first user.   
   
   
       8 . The method, as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein determining whether the second workstation can transfer the first skin directly from the first workstation comprises:
 determining whether the second user is known to the first user.   
   
   
       9 . The method, as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein determining a method for transferring the first skin comprises:
 accessing the first skin via a skin sharing server.   
   
   
       10 . The method, as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein determining a method for transferring the first skin comprises:
 determining whether the first skin is currently stored in the second workstation;   determining whether the second workstation can transfer the first skin directly from the first workstation, when the first skin is not currently stored in the second workstation; and   transferring the first skin via a skin sharing server, when the second workstation cannot transfer the first skin directly from the first workstation.   
   
   
       11 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing a messaging session between the first user and the second user; and   alternately displaying the first skin and a second skin associated with the second user to the first user.   
   
   
       12 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing a messaging session between the first user and the second user; and   alternately displaying the first skin and a second skin associated with the second user to the second user.   
   
   
       13 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing a messaging session between the first user and the second user;   alternately displaying the first skin and a second skin associated with the second user to the first user when the first user has authorized skin sharing; and   alternately displaying the first skin and a second skin associated with the second user to the second user when the second user has authorized skin sharing.   
   
   
       14 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting options to control how often the shared skins are displayed.   
   
   
       15 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting options to control whether the first user can receive a skin from the second user, and whether the second user can transfer the first skin.   
   
   
       16 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying options to control how often the shared skins are displayed and the number of times to display the shared skins.   
   
   
       17 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recording the display date and at least a portion of the identity of a skin that is shared between the first and second users.   
   
   
       18 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the first skin on a workstation associated with the second user.   
   
   
       19 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the first skin simultaneously with one or more options for controlling skin sharing between the first and second users.   
   
   
       20 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transferring the first skin after the first user sends a message to the second user displaying the first skin to the one or more other users.   
   
   
       21 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein transferring the first skin is performed automatically. 
   
   
       22 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein displaying the first skin is performed automatically. 
   
   
       23 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein transferring and displaying the first skin is performed automatically. 
   
   
       24 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a default skin is associated with the first user, further comprising:
 transferring the default skin until the first user authorizes transfer of the first skin.   
   
   
       25 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein transferring the first skin includes:
 retrieving the first skin from cache memory in a second workstation associated with the second user when the first skin is the same as the second skin.   
   
   
       26 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein transferring the first skin includes:
 transferring the first skin to a second workstation associated with the second user; and   retrieving the first skin from cache memory in the second workstation when the first skin is alternately displayed with the second skin.   
   
   
       27 . A computer readable storage media comprising:
 computer instructions to implement the method of  claim 1 .   
   
   
       28 . A signal in a carrier medium comprising:
 computer instructions to implement the method of  claim 1 .   
   
   
       29 . A method for sharing a first skin associated with a first user and a second skin associated with a second user via a computer network, the method comprising:
 transferring the first skin to the second user; and   alternately displaying the first skin and the second skin to the second user.   
   
   
       30 . The method, as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein alternately displaying comprises:
 displaying the first skin to the second user in place of the second skin; and   displaying the second skin to the second user in place of the first skin.   
   
   
       31 . A method for sharing a first skin associated with a first user and a second skin associated with a second user via a computer network, the method comprising:
 automatically transferring the first skin to the second user; and   automatically displaying the first skin to the second user, in place of the second skin.   
   
   
       32 . The method, as set forth in  claim 31 , further comprising:
 automatically transferring the second skin to the first user; and   automatically displaying the second skin to the first user, in place of the first skin.   
   
   
       33 . A method for sharing a first skin associated with a first user and a second skin associated with a second user via a computer network, the method comprising:
 displaying the first skin to the second user; and   displaying the second skin to the first user.   
   
   
       34 . The method, as set forth in  claim 33  further comprising:
 displaying the first skin to the first user in place of the second skin; and   displaying the second skin to the second user in place of the first skin.   
   
   
       35 . The method, as set forth in  claim 34  further comprising:
 periodically repeating the acts of displaying.   
   
   
       36 . A method for sharing a first skin associated with a first user and a second skin associated with a second user via a server, the method comprising:
 transferring the first skin to the second user;   transferring the second skin to the first user; and   storing an indication of transfer of the first skin to the second user and vice versa.   
   
   
       37 . The method, as set forth in  claim 36  further comprising:
 statistically reporting on the transfers.   
   
   
       38 . An apparatus comprising a computer programmed to:
 transfer a first skin to a first user;   transfer a second skin to a second user;   transfer the first skin to the second user; and   transfer the second skin to the first user.   
   
   
       39 . The apparatus, as set forth in  claim 38  wherein the computer comprises a database for holding statistics on the transfers and the computer is further programmed to:
 report on the transfers in response to a query.